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North East England 

…to a world in a day. North East England stretches from the heather-covered hills of North Northumberland down to the mighty River Tees in the south. Each of its four areas has its own character, from the impressive Cheviots of Northumberland to the dazzling cities of Tyne and Wear; the historic landmarks and leafy lanes of County Durham and the peaceful countryside of Tees Valley, yet all are united by a passion for enjoying life here in all its guises. Passionate people, passionate places. We look forward to welcoming you on a holiday you’ll never forget.

Northumberland has some of the best weather in the country.  According to the Met Office, we are officially one of the driest places – the average UK rainfall is 1125 mm, but Northumberland’s is only 864 mm.  Apparently, we also get more winter sunshine than many other parts of the country.  From December to February, the UK average is 143 hours, whilst Northumberland boasts over 156 hours!

Have a read of these recent articles....

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/if-you-want-to-be-cool-head-to-northumberland

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/trail-of-the-unexpected-unsullied-stargazing-in-northumberland-815660.html
Northumberland is where you come for wide, wide spaces and long, long beaches; for the grandeur of castles and the charm of market towns; for the echoes of Roman legionaries and the silence of green forests.                                           

For all its current peaceful nature, Northumberland has a turbulent past evidenced by its flush of castles and defensive towers; more are found here than anywhere else in Britain. Romans, Vikings, the Scots and border reivers have all wanted a piece of this beautiful county. Some castles are still lived in - Alnwick, familiar as Hogwarts School from Harry Potter, and Bamburgh high on its volcanic outcrop – others, such as Dunstanburgh and Warkworth are romantic ruins with a turbulent history to unveil.   
                          
A testament to Roman construction, there is evidence of Hadrian’s Wall, a World Heritage Site.

Breathtaking walks abound. There are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty at the North Pennines and Northumberland Coast including a 40-mile stretch of Heritage Coast between Berwick and Amble; the rolling Cheviot Hills and myriads of tracks through Kielder Forest. You can experience Skyspace and get lost in a maze, two of the fascinating, specially-commissioned sculptures dotted around Kielder Water.
Cast yourself away on Holy Island (the tide cuts it off twice a day from the mainland) and explore the Castle, Priory and Heritage Centre. In the latter, you can ‘turn the pages’ (via a computer screen) of the brilliantly illuminated 7th century Lindisfarne Gospels, which have been described as the most beautiful illuminated manuscript in the world. Don’t forget to leave time for a fresh crab sandwich. Or go puffin and seal spotting around the Farne Islands. For a truly inspirational mix of peace and fresh air, you can’t beat the coastal retreats of Beadnell, Alnmouth and Druridge Bay. Ford and Etal are delightful estate villages, one with a working cornmill, while Blanchland is one of England’s oldest and prettiest villages – the Lord Crewe Arms hotel in the heart of the village was formerly a monastery and dates from the 12th century. If you want a bit more bustle, Hexham has a lively market as well as an Abbey and racecourse and Corbridge is a must for unique gifts. Morpeth has a bagpipe museum and The Sanctuary Wildlife Care Centre, and Berwick-upon-Tweed is a proud border town whose magnificent Elizabethan walls give some of the finest views of the coastline.

Tyne and Wear

Passion, energy, creativity. Tyne and Wear is the place to come for dazzling city life, vibrant culture, great shopping and sparkling night life as well as all the fun of the coast.

NewcastleGateshead is compact enough to explore comfortably on foot. To get a feel for the richness and diversity of this place, start at Grey’s Monument – built to commemorate Prime Minister Earl Grey’s 1832 Reform Act – and stroll down Grey Street, one of the handsome Georgian streets in the heart of Newcastle, to the Quayside. Here the old combines with the new. The Norman Castle Keep (on the site of the castle which gave the city its name) and medieval gatehouse stand high above Newcastle Quayside. Opposite, on Gateshead Quays, are the billowing glass curves of The Sage Gateshead, Sir Norman Foster’s stunning new concert hall, and the monumental façade of BALTIC, Centre for Contemporary Art. Linking the two riversides is the breathtakingly elegant Gateshead Millennium Bridge, winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture in 2002.

The city has enough museums, shops and galleries to keep you busy for a week – not to mention bars and cafes to keep you entertained into the night – and it’s also surprisingly close to coast and countryside. Gibside estate, the former home of the Queen Mother’s family, has riverside walks and a beautiful Palladian Chapel. Or head downriver from the city and you come to award-winning beaches, great family attractions – in the Blue Reef
Aquarium, you can walk under sharks! – and the dramatic ruins of the 7th century Tynemouth Castle and Priory. Their grounds, incidentally, are a perfect spot for a picnic. Why not make one with      
local produce from one of the region’s many farmers’ markets?

You could head north and climb St Mary’s Lighthouse for spectacular coastal views or cross the river to South Tyneside. Fans of Catherine Cookson, Britain’s best-loved authoress, will make a bee-line for South Shields Museum and Art Gallery and its exhibition of local history during her life in the region. Children can have a go at being an archaeologist at the excavations at Arbeia Roman Fort or discover rare breeds of animals at the Anglo-Saxon farm at Bede’s World, close to the site where the Venerable Bede lived 1300 years ago.

For more information please visit: www.visitnortheastengland.co.uk

Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne is often described as the jewel of the Northumberland coast. Its small population of just over 150 is boosted by the influx of over half a million visitors from all over the world throughout the year.

Lindisfarne is a tidal island, accessed by a paved causeway which is covered by the North Sea twice in every 24-hour period. Many a visitor has become stranded on the island which is not altogether a bad thing as there are plenty of cosy pubs, comfortable hotels and B&B’s in which to spend the night!

Locally the island is rarely referred to by its Anglo-Saxon name of Lindisfarne and is more likely to be called Holy Island. The island is internationally famous both for its medieval religious heritage and the picturesque 16th Century castle. Visitors are also attracted by the peace and tranquillity which pervades the land and the remote conservation area, with its quiet beaches and unique natural history.

For the tidal timetable and more
information visit: www.lindisfarne.org.uk

Seahouses

Seahouses is a colourful and lively seaside resort and fishing harbour. Boat trips to see the bird and seal colonies on the Farne Islands are available throughout the summer.

A Marine Life Centre is another attraction of the town offering a small museum and sea life centre in one! Two large tanks contain the type of fish and crustaceans that you can find in the sea off Northumberland. There is an interactive touch pool with fish, starfish and other shellfish. At the trout pool you can feed the fish. 

Like many of the coastal towns, Seahouses is also famed for its delicious fish and chips. The fishing industry is an important part of life along the coast. The museum contains a recreated fisherman's kitchen and workyard, a cooper's workshop and displays on the kipper industry (with authentic smells!).

For more information visit: www.seahouses.org

The Farne Islands

Regular boat trips tour the bird colonies on the Farne Islands - a series of rocky islands just off the Northumberland coast which are the habitat of seals and many seabirds. The islands are home to more than 20 different species, including puffins, eider ducks and four species of tern. Many of the birds are extremely confiding and visitors can enjoy close views from the boats.

For more information visit: www.thenationaltrust.org.uk 

Northumberland National Park

Spread over the hills and valleys at the very top of the County, Northumberland National Park has some beautiful unspoilt treasures to discover. It stretches for over 60 miles from the Cheviot Hills which form the border with Scotland to Hadrian's Wall in the south.

There are some very distinct characters within the landscape of the National Park. To the north there are the breathtaking rolling moors and grasslands of the Cheviot Hills, In the centre is the Upper Coquet Valley with the landmark Simonside Hills and the beautiful villages of Harbottle and Holystone. To the west are the valleys of the North Tyne and Redesdale, wild, inspiring and once home of the Border Reivers. In the south is the iconic ridge of the Whin Sill with Hadrian's Wall striding along its crest.

Some words from www.enjoyengland.com ................

Dig out your bucket and spade, pack a picnic and hit the beach. Then take to the sea on a boat trip to the remarkable Farne Islands. That's exactly what the Turner family did one sunny day in late spring......

'We read in the newspaper that Embleton Bay had come top in a poll of Britain's best beaches, so we decided to go and see what all the fuss was about. We packed a picnic and set off for the coast. We weren't disappointed; Embleton Bay is a breathtaking sweep of apricot-coloured sands with views to the dramatic medieval ruin of Dunstanborough Castle. The kids had a great time - playing frisbee, flying the kite and bounding down the giant sand dunes. Afterwards, we headed up the coast to Seahouses, where we boarded Glad Tidings and set sail for the Farne Islands. Half an hour later we were there - surrounded by an archipelago of hard-wearing volcanic rock that constitutes one of our most important wildlife refuges. The islands are home to a colony of grey seals - the rarest seal species in the world, and the largest surviving carnivore in the British Isles - as well as hundreds of species of sea birds, including puffins. We finished the day on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, where we were lucky enough to spot a pair of osprey. A magical day out!' 

Billy Shiels Boat Trips, Seahouses Tel 01665 720308 www.farne-islands.com

NOW HAVE A LOOK AT OUR TOP TEN TIPS (AND A FEW MORE) OF THINGS TO DO ON THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST